An inside view of Team Rocket
by kyllir
Summary: this story answers the question: Is Team Rocket really heartless? (please review!!)


An inside view of Team Rocket 

By kyllir 

Prologue 

Hello. I am Josephina. I am a member of Team Rocket, I have been since I was a child. If you will listen to 

My story, you will not be so harsh to judge me, as I am sure you have already dubbed me a criminal, a 

person who has betrayed human trust, who has made a mockery of our justice system, and worst of all, has 

turned innocent creatures as pokemon into tools for evil and greedy schemes. I will now tell you from the 

beginning, why I chose to live this life, a life off of others, a life of 'crime'… 

******************************************* 

It was my eighth birthday, and my mother was late again, later than usual. Usually she would come home 

from the bar at 12:30, now it was 3:00 in the morning, I couldn't sleep, she had said she would bring me a 

wonderful surprise. All of a sudden, I heard a knock at the door. It was my mother, and a man… 

my mother stumbled drunkenly to the table and motioned for the stranger to come inside. He introduced 

himself as Jeff. My mother regained her bearings and told me more of who Jeff was. Apparently he drove 

her home from the bar every day, and he had asked her to marry him, she told me she had accepted his 

proposal. 

****************************************************** 

The next couple of months were great, my mother and Jeff had married, and he bought me a present, a 

Vulpix. I named her Pyropix. I thought he was the best man in the world to have gotten me this. 

Then one day, I was walking home from school, and I heard gunshots from my house, I called Pyropix to 

Me, she ran through the house, she came up to me and put her paws on my leg. I looked down, her paws 

had left red stains on my leg. I inspected her paws, the red stuff was blood… I ran at top speed to the house, 

Pyropix at my heels. I walked through the door and saw Jeff, my stepfather, kneeling over my mother. He 

was crying over and over, "what have I done? What have I done?" he looked up to me and stopped crying, 

he reached for the gun on the floor and aimed at my head. I was too scared to move. Just then, he slipped 

on the red puddle on the floor, he missed, but he hit me in the leg. He picked up the gun and instead of 

shooting at me again, he aimed the gun to his ear. I cried for him to stop, but the gun went off. 

******************************************** 

When I woke up, I was surrounded by doctors, I looked at my surroundings, I was no longer on the floor at 

my house. I was in the hospital. I felt a horrible pain in my leg, they were removing the bullet! 

I suddenly regained my thoughts and called out for my mother, "Mommy! Mommy? Where are you?" The 

Doctors did nothing but give me emotionless stares, I looked down at my leg, it was a mess. There was 

blood everywhere. When I asked the doctor about my mother, all he did was shake his head. It was then 

when the pain hit me full force, I cried and screamed for hours until my throat was hoarse. Finally, one of 

the police officers who was investigating the crime, brought Pyropix to the hospital to comfort me, I was 

happy to see her, but I still missed my mother. 

******************************************** 

A couple of days later, I was released from the hospital and deposited into an orphanage. I stayed there for 

almost two years, until I turned ten. I hated that orphanage, and the only way I could leave before I was 

eighteen was to become a pokemon trainer. Our maid, Retlyn, gave me instructions. I was to go six blocks 

to Wigglytuff avenue, and three blocks over to Snorlax street. I was to go to the Periwinkle city pokemon 

center, where I was to get my starter pokemon from Professor Mephisto. 

************************************************ 

I had to tie Pyropix outside when I got to the center, I was given a test by the nurse, and directed to a quiet 

room. If I passed the test, I could become a trainer, if I failed, it was back to the orphanage for me. I was 

determined to pass this test. The first question was easy; Diglett evolves into Dugtrio, true or false. 'wow, 

this is going to be easy' I thought to myself. The next questions were harder, I was glad I studied. An hour 

later, the Professor came in, I was finishing the last question. "Time!" he called, I put my pencil down and 

sighed. Had I passed? There were three other people who were taking the test today, we all sat nervously, 

waiting for the computer to calculate our scores. Fifteen minutes later, the scores were posted. I passed! I 

would never have to return to that orphanage again. 

**************************************************** 

We were shown our starting pokemon choices, there was a Charmander, a Squirtle, a Bulbasaur, a pikachu, 

a Rattata, an Eevee, just to name a few. I chose a pokeball that was unmarked, I always liked taking 

chances. I asked the Professor if I could keep that one, he said, "you may if you really want it, it's not 

completely tame yet. And I am told that their kind can be very moody." I looked at the ball, "whatever it is 

I'll take it!" the professor nodded, after all, I had gotten the highest score he'd seen in over a decade. I 

released my new pokemon, it looked up at me, a look of combined happiness and confusion. It was happy 

to be out of the ball, but hadn't seen real light since it was captured. "Mag…mar…" It said, blinking in the 

light. From the looks of things, I was becoming a fire trainer, I had always liked fire anyways, I used to sit 

by our fireplace when I was little, staring into the flames… those memories brought tears to my eyes. I 

quickly blinked them back. I thanked the Professor as he handed me my pokeballs, and a more advanced 

model of the pokedex, it had a metallic shine to it. Only trainers with high scores on the qualifications test 

got these. I beamed with pride as I left the pokemon center. 

****************************************** 

I knew as a trainer, my pokemon would have to remain in their pokeballs, so I regretted pulling Pyropix 

into one. For the next year I wandered from town to town, collecting badges, I had six when I stopped in a 

place called Celadon city. I had several pokemon by then, but I used only fire. I had Pyropix, Magmar, 

Flareon, Arcanine, Charmeleon, and a Charizard. I had stopped in a place called the game corner to get 

some change, when a man dressed in a black uniform walked up to me. He asked me if I was happy the 

way I was living. Of course, I answered no. but I was only eleven, if I stopped training, I would go back to 

the orphanage. The man had a nice face, so I trusted him. I told him of my past and he listened intently. He 

told me of a special group that used pokemon to get justice and vengeance. That sounded great to me. I was 

pissed off at the world, and I needed vengeance, against who? I don't know, but the world would pay for 

what happened to me. I followed him into the casino, he walked up to a man in a tuxedo and mumbled 

some barely audible things. He motioned for me to come forward, so I did. The man in the tuxedo called 

himself Giovanni. The man I had been talking to was named Rick, he went to a clothes rack and asked me 

what size I wore, I told him and he pulled out a black uniform and handed it to me, he left some other 

things on a chair and left the room so I could change. I like the uniform, it seemed to radiate power, 

vengeance was so close, and I could feel it. 

************************************************** 

Part one: 

I have been with Team Rocket for six years now, all the members have taken to calling me 'Flame' 

instead of Josephina. I work with Alpha team division two. There are three teams, alpha, beta, and delta and 

twelve divisions in each one. When you join, you are automatically put in delta12, bumping the last recruit 

up a notch. The hard way to get to the top was to successfully pull off almost impossible missions. Mostly I 

was assigned jobs like stealing some kind of valuable pokeball for the boss, and whatnot. The team was 

like my family, I felt for them what I thought I could never feel again. I felt love towards them all, I had 

learned to trust everyone in my team. I wouldn't trade the world for that. I had been promoted to the top of 

my team. I was leader now, everyone was happy for me. They knew I would be a good leader, though most 

of them had seniority over me, I worked hard to get where I was. 

****************************************** 

Every night I had the same nightmare, and each time it got worse. I would be at home, my old home, and 

mother would be just sitting around with me, watching TV or something, when all of a sudden Jeff would 

storm over. He would wrap his hands around her throat and strangle her. Then he would reach behind him, 

and pull out a gun, a shiny metallic gleam would paralyze me and mommy with fear. Every time he would 

shoot at my mother, and she would fall, a puddle of blood surrounding her. Then I would scream and he 

would shoot me in the leg. Then he would shoot himself, his head would explode in a burst of grayish 

reddish matter. Every night I would wake up, panting and crying, I would hope my mother was happy 

wherever she was. Each night the pain seemed to get more real, I was going to snap one of these times. But 

every time I woke up, one of my teammates would be there to comfort me, they were the only family I had. 

So I had to do my fair share in the team, but so what, I had everything I had always wanted. I had a family 

that cared about me, and I had escaped that horrid orphanage. 

***************************************** 

One morning, while I was fixing my hair, pinning the long red strands into a bun, simple yet stylish, that 

was my motto. James, one of my teammates called me over to him. I didn't work with him much, he had 

been assigned to work with Jessie to capture a pikachu, he had been demoted so many times, that he was 

put back in the delta group. "The boss wants to see you, flame." He said, somewhat fearfully. "Thank you 

James." I replied as I hurried out the door, when the boss wants to see you, you'd better run there. He had 

very little patience, especially with women. I bolted down the hallway, not stopping 'til I reached the 

office. The boss looked pissed, he looked at his watch, "your late." He growled. I made no attempt to 

defend myself, he had a serious superiority complex and to tell him he was wrong was deadly. 

************************************************** 

"As you know Flame, the combo project is working quite well, thanks to your efforts, that is. And as much 

as it pains me when we're so close to our goal on that, I'm afraid I'll have to reassign you." He said. 

I was feeling a lot of emotions then, when the boss says he wants to reassign you it either means he wants 

to promote you or kill you. I was hoping it was not the latter. "I am putting you in group alpha1, you will 

be issued some new equipment and a new uniform. I want you to change and then get back in here within 

the hour." He set my fears aside. I was in the head of the team, I was on the top. It was 7:15, I had to be 

back in a half hour. I rushed back to my locker, I found a new uniform inside, unlike my old one, it was not 

white and red, or black and red. The alpha1 uniforms were custom designed to fit the personalities of the 

member who wore them. Mine was dark orange, the R on the front was designed to look like a bright blue 

flame. I looked at the rest of what was in the locker, there was an elite rocket ring, it had a ruby with a 

gold-encrusted R etched into it, my boots were red, as were my gloves. I was happy, I was in the top- 

ranking group of Team Rocket. 

******************************************* 

I rushed back to meet Giovanni, I was dressed in my new uniform. He told me of my mission, he doesn't 

promote anyone unless it is a very important task to be done. "look here." He showed me a map, it was the 

indigo stadium, "you are the only one in the first four alpha groups who has any badges. I am assigning you 

to collect your last badge, here." He handed me an earth badge, "you will need to go and get the last badge 

to compete in the pokemon league." I only had one gym to go to, I had avoided it as much as possible, the 

cerulean city gym. The water pokemon would crush my fire-type pokemon. Giovanni must have known my 

thoughts because he handed me a pokeball. "this is a Jolteon, as you know electric-types have the 

advantage against water-types. I know your policy of only fire pokemon, but you can make an exception, 

for the team." I took the pokeball, and put my Charmeleon in my locker, I would come and get it later, off 

to cerulean city. 

************************************************* 

I was at he gym, I was winning. The gym leaders had sent out a Seel, a Staryu, a Starmie, and a Goldeen. 

They were intimidated when they saw the Jolteon, it smacked their pokemon down in one hit. Five minutes 

later, one of the gym leaders handed me a cascade badge. I did my little victory dance as I held my badge 

into the light. As I was getting ready to leave, I saw two boys, a red-headed girl, and a pikachu run into the 

gym. "those must be the kids Jessie and James are chasing…" I said out loud to no one. I decided to see 

what they were doing, I didn't dare help Jessie or James. If I did, not only would they get in trouble for me 

doing their work, but I would get in trouble too. I peeked around the corner and spied on them, the girl was 

carrying a Horsea. "Horsea needs to swim around in your pool" she was saying to the gym leader. I looked 

behind me and saw a poster on the wall, it advertised a water ballet, starring that little red-headed twerp. 

***************************************************** 

I decided to stay a little while longer, to see the show. It began with that redhead dressed as a mermaid. 

She was swimming with the pokemon, she seemed to never have to breathe. The narration indicated that 

two pirates would raid the water, I looked over to see none other than Jessie and James posing as the 

pirates. They dove into the water, the narration continued that a handsome prince would rescue her. The 

pikachu's trainer was the prince, he didn't even have a costume. He went into the water and called out a 

Squirtle, Jessie called out Arbok, at this point I saw no point in staying. Jessie and James were horrible 

battlers, there was little point in rooting for them. I wasn't paying attention anymore, so I left the gym. 

I rode on my Charizard back to Celadon city. When I returned the boss looked at me expectantly. 

"I got the badge." I said 

"Very good, flame. Now I want you to take these pokemon and compete in the pokemon league." He said. 

He handed me three pokeballs, one was a Vaporeon, another was a Golem. The other was marked 'top- 

secret' I turned to Giovanni, he told me that was the pokemon that he used my research to obtain, and to 

only use it in an emergency. I nodded solemnly, pokemon league, here I come! 

*********************************************************** 

There I was, at the indigo stadium. I was so happy I could hardly contain my joy. I wandered around the 

pokemon village looking for a good place to eat. I saw a diner, I rushed inside to find that pokemon league 

competitors eat for free! I sat down and ordered the special. While I was waiting, I saw the group of 

trainers I had seen in cerulean. The pikachu trainer, I had recently learned his name was Ash, was totally 

pigging out. I hoped to battle him, then I would show the twerp. I looked at my watch, 4:00. I would have 

to get to the main stadium to find out whom I would battle first. The girl at the information booth told me 

my first battle would be on the ice field, I would fight someone named Mari. I decided I would be better off 

using my Eevee team. My battle would begin at 8:00 in the morning the next day. 

***************************************************** 

"Go! Poliwhirl!" the trainer, Mari called. "Go! Jolteon!" I yelled in response. I smiled, I should have the 

advantage here. Jolteon used its pin missile attack, and won easily. The other trainer sent out a Fearow. 

Jolteon used the thunderbolt attack, Fearow fainted. The trainer sent out a haunter. This could get ugly…. 

I called for Jolteon to use thunder, but the attack missed! Haunter used hypnosis, Jolteon fell asleep! I 

recalled it and sent out Flareon, it used fireblast. Haunter was still able to fight though it was weakened, it 

used hypnosis again, Flareon fell asleep. I recalled it, none of my other pokemon, Vaporeon, Charizard, or 

Magmar could have taken it. I suddenly remembered the emergency pokemon I was given, I was told that 

all video and camera equipment would be disabled automatically when it was released. "Pokeball! Go!" I called, wondering what pokemon it was. Several people cried out that their cameras weren't working as the 

white light took on a form. It was Mew! "Mew! Psychic!" I yelled down at the stadium the haunter fainted 

and I cheered. The pokemon league was harder than I thought. I told mew to use it's psychic powers to 

cleanse all the peoples minds of what happened and to convince them all that I had used Vaporeon. 

************************************************ 

After the battle, I wandered around some more, I found myself at the water field. The boy battling looked 

familiar, I saw him somewhere before. And then I saw the pikachu at his feet, and the redhead and the boy 

with no eyes with him. "Ash…" I grumbled. I watched the battle, his Krabby just evolved into Kingler. A 

while ago, I had heard Jessie and James cheering for him, for some reason or another. Ash won the battle 

and was making a fool of himself in front of the camera. This was so boring… I traveled back to the 

information booth to find out who my next opponent was. It was a boy named Jeremy, we would be 

fighting on the water field. "Oops, I better go to the pokemon center…" I said. I ran to the center and I 

handed the nurse five pokeballs. That's right, five. I couldn't let her see Mew, so I used elixirs and potions 

on it. I went to sleep early that night, so I could get up bright and early for my battle. That night, I had the 

same nightmares. But when I got up, there was no on there to comfort me. I woke up sobbing. 

************************************************** 

The battle was about to begin, my opponent was late. The judges had just declared me the winner when he 

showed up. The trainer, Jeremy was crying. I told the judges we would battle anyway, so I wasn't the 

winner, yet. Jeremy was overjoyed at my kindness. He sent out a Raticate, I sent out Pyropix. I had long 

since evolved into Ninetails, yet the name stuck. I called for Pyropix to do firespin. The Raticate fainted. 

Jeremy called back Raticate and sent out Dewgong. I recalled Pyropix, and sent out Jolteon. It did thunder, 

the Dewgong never saw what hit it. Jeremy recalled Dewgong and sent out an Arcanine, I sent out 

Charizard. "Charizard! Fireblast!" I called from the trainer box. It hit the Arcanine, it was injured, but could 

still battle. Arcanine used it's flamethrower attack, charizard wasn't effected too much. "Skull bash now!" I 

called, discovering how much I really loved pokemon battles. The Arcanine fainted, I was the winner, like 

there was any doubt. After the battle, I went over to Jeremy ' he would make a fine Rocket member…' I 

thought as I shook his hand. "good match." He said, "yes It was." I replied to him. he was looking at me 

funny, "have we met before?" he asked me. I shook my head, he looked familiar, but I didn't remember 

ever meeting him. and then it dawned on me, I had been with team rocket so long, that I didn't even 

remember who I had robbed. Back when I was in the beta4 team, I was assigned to steal a fossil from a 

museum. The guard had gotten a good look at me, we escaped with the fossil. But the guard was fired. 

Jeremy was that guard! 

************************************************** 

I realized I was staring at him, so I looked away, when I looked back at him he seemed to be remembering 

something about me too. "You…. You were that thief that I let escape…" he said slowly. I blushed, I 

couldn't deny it, "Yeah… that was me…" I said, surprised at the amount of shame in my voice. I looked 

into his eyes and I saw no anger, no resentment. But rather something else, something I had never seen in 

anyone's eyes. Maybe love? I was feeling something too, I shouldn't feel bad about anyone losing their job, 

as a member of team rocket, my only concerns should be for me, and my teammates. Jeremy asked me to 

go to dinner with him, I accepted. We sat at in the corner of a pizza restaurant, he was talking about the 

museum incident. He wasn't mad at me for it. He had hated that job anyway, it took time away from his 

true passion, training pokemon. He told me the only reason he let me go back then was that, though I was 

robbing him, he had looked deep into my eyes and had seen a flicker of what my life actually was. The 

hardships and suffering I had experienced, he loved me at that exact moment and had been hoping to see 

me again. After I had heard his story I told him mine, from the beginning. By the end of the story he had 

tears welling up in his eyes. He had known my life had been unbearable, he just didn't know how 

unbearable. Embraced me, at first I flinched, then I accepted the embrace. I needed that, it was then I 

realized that though people cared for me, they didn't truly love me, all my life I had been living a lie. 

At that thought, I burst into tears and cried on his shoulder. 

************************************************* 

Jeremy walked me back to my cabin in the pokemon village, he was so sweet. For the first time ever, I was 

considering leaving the team, to be with him. no, I thought. I couldn't abandon the team, they have been 

with me since forever it seems. But Jeremy… there was just something about his eyes, I could stare into 

them for hours. I didn't deserve someone like him, I had been a bad guy, not having a second thought about 

what I had done when I robbed others. I had become heartless in my climb to the top. I had climbed the 

ladder, but I left my soul at the bottom a long time ago. Now I knew what I had to do, I found the nearest 

payphone and called the boss, he looked a little concerned when he saw me on the picture display. I 

informed him of my intention to quit the team. He took it quite well, he had known this was coming. 

"I knew this would happen someday, and I also know that you have a good reason to leave, otherwise you 

would stay in the team. You may keep your uniform, but the pokemon must be sent back, I will send you 

things from your locker right now." He said, I put the pokeballs containing Vaporeon, Jolteon, Golem, and 

Mew. I waited while my stuff was sent. I received my Magmar, Charmeleon, Arcanine, and Flareon. Also, 

I got a music box that I had when I was a kid, my mother had told me it had come from my real father, but 

it was broken. A piece was missing all the time I had it. When I got it back, it was in one piece. Giovanni 

said "thank you for your efforts." And hung up. I was still speechless about the music box, if the missing 

piece was there now, then that must mean Giovanni is…… my thoughts were interrupted by Jeremy, who 

was waiting patiently, he had a confused look on his face. 

************************************************* 

"why are you staring at the music box like that? Is it gonna do something?" he asked. I didn't say a word, I 

wound up the crank and listened to a tune I hadn't heard since before I joined Team Rocket. I opened the 

box and found an envelope inside, I opened the envelope. There was a letter and something else inside, I 

read the letter, "I found this music box in your locker, my daughter had one much like it long ago, it was 

also missing a piece. I took the liberty of fixing it with the missing piece. By now you must have figured it 

out, that there is something you didn't know about us. I hope you like the gift enclosed, know that you can 

come back to the team anytime, if you want to. Signed Giovanni." I was awestruck. I looked at the gift, it 

was a three-fold locket inside it was a picture of Giovanni, my mother, and me. A family… I then 

explained in awe to Jeremy what had just happened. "Giovanni is my… Father…" I said, finishing the 

story. 

************************************************* 

I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed, I had no nightmares that night. I had a battle to get to, I got 

dressed and ran out the door. I would only be using my fire pokemon, I was glad I was on the grass field. 

My opponent was a little late, she made it right on time for the match though. Her name was Sherry, her 

first pokemon would be a Weepinbell. I sent out Arcanine, it used flamethrower and made short work of 

the Weepinbell. Sherry recalled it and sent out a Venusaur. Arcanine used fireblast, once again it was a first 

round knockout. She then called out a Wartortle, I hadn't counted on this, I called for Arcanine to use 

takedown. The Wartortle use bubble beam, Arcanine fainted. I recalled it and sent out Pyropix, I told it to 

use firespin. The attack wasn't very effective, but the Wartortle was weakened. The Wartortle used water 

gun and Pyropix fainted, I sent out Charizard. Wartortle used its bubble attack. Charizard was weakened, 

but not defeated. It used fireblast, the attack barely singed the Wartortle. I was surprised when the 

Wartortle used ice beam, Charizard struggled to get up. The referee walked up to it and declared, 

"Charizard is unable to fight! The match goes to the red trainer." I fell to my knees, I knew how much this 

had meant to my pokemon, I had failed them. I peeled myself off the ground and faced the other trainer. 

"That was a good match." I said to her, she nodded. 

******************************************************* 

I was walking down the path to Viridian city with Jeremy. We were going to meet his parents to arrange 

my accommodations for the years to come. Jeremy had asked me to marry him. (awwwwwwwwwwww 

how sweet.) for the very first time in my life, I was truly happy. Not false joy, I KNEW I had someone 

there for me now, and I didn't have nightmares anymore. 

****************************************************** 

epilogue: 

There is my story. Though I left team rocket all those years ago, I still miss it. I miss the feeling of power I 

got from just wearing the uniform. Sometimes, when everyone is asleep, I will dig through the closet and 

look at the old uniform. I'll look at it and long to be back on the team. Team Rocket wasn't so bad, if it 

wasn't for the team, I wouldn't be where I am right now. I would like to extend my thanks to Rick, the man 

who sent me to the path I walk now, no longer alone. 

The End 


End file.
